Simulating Film types on K-5

Been rummaging about in my new K-5 seeing if I can set up the JPG colour modes to simulate fondly remembered film types. I'm still way off, so has anyone else got any recommended settings, for, in particular, the look and feel of a grainy B&W like pushed HP5, as well as an approximation of Kodachrome. I know I can do this easily in Post Processing on my Mac, but great to have all the options on hand in the K-5. So far I'm kind of getting a nice bright, clean, transparency feel that reminds me of Provia, and some interesting B&W varieties set up in the USER mode, but I'm guessing theres a wealth of experimentation out there, and it would be nice to hear what others have set up.

Kodachrome had lower contrast, accurate colours, almost invisible grain and slow ISO values.

So I guess ISO100, Contrast -1, Natural tone setting would be a starting point. The sharpness level needs to be experimented with.

Thanks John. I'm going to start with that setting, and experiment. Thought I would photograph at locations where I have previously shot with film stock, and play with the settings on my K-5 in the field and check against the original imagery I have previously scanned in using SilverFast, which does a pretty good job of retaining the films original look post scan. I'll post up side by side results as and when I make them.

There are loads of PS plugins to quite accurately replicate film but, TBH, you aren't shooting film so why not just embrace the look of digital? I dont recall anyone shooting film trying to replicate Daguerrotypes or wet collodian plates.

Hi gartmore. thanks for your reply, but I want to do this precisely because the K-5 can do it, and do it well.
I can easily do simulated film in post production, granted, but you have to ask yourself, why would Pentax give us so many colour/tone and sharpening options on board, and multiple saveable user modes if we just ignore them?. Maybe you just use your camera in its default state, and good for you if thats the case, but please enlighten me 'on the look of digital', as I'm not sure what that is? Every DSLR I've used has a different approach.

Furthermore, when I did shoot film, professionally or otherwise, I chose a particular film brand because it had a certain look and feel.... My new K-5 can not only simulate these, but endless experimental ones of my own devising, and it obviously lets me see the results during the shoot which has to be a good thing in terms of my decision making.

By the way, currently in the Tate Modern in London is a fantastic exhibition called 'New Documentary Form'. There is some brilliant work by a number of modern day photographers some of whom are very experimental with the format, and have replicated some previous processes. Take a look at the work of Boris Mikhailov for instance link. Pretty amazing stuff.

Don't know if this is what you are looking for:

http://dxo.com/us/photo/filmpack/what_is_dxo_filmpack

DxO Optics Pro has two levels of film emulation, and they are currently on sale until Dec 24. You will need the actual RAW converter, Optics Pro V7.1, and the addon listed above to emulate the film type...

Dick

Thanks Riebleu, I should have added that I have FilmPack, so can use it as a guide. It's a pretty good package, especially the simulation of my favorite B&W films (Tri-X and HP5). I work all day using software to process imagery, (my main employment is teaching creative industries courses up to BA (Hons) level at a large FE/HE college). What's of interest to me though is the on-camera settings on new DSLR's, and was also one of the factors in me choosing a K-5. Fuji built in Velvia/Provia modes into their DSLR's years ago, but I think Olympus started the current trend with built in 'Art Filters', although some were pretty useless. Pentax have taken it a lot further, with an approach that is much more mature and flexible.... but one day we might get the option to model the colour/tonal settings/filters etc in an external programme and upload to the camera (or even installing software on our DSLR's to do this. Mobile phone camera apps seems way ahead in this respect.

I understand there are a lot of purists out there, who prefer to shoot in RAW, and edit in software. Thats great, and for 90% of my professional work thats what I do. Sometimes though, it is fun to experiment, and even take risks on assignment. Photographers such as David Burnet used a $20 Holga on assignments for instance link, and perhaps it is by breaking the restraints that innovation comes. Its happening more often that clients expect work to be photographed, edited an uploaded with really short deadlines, and may ask for a particular style to the work. RAW processing might not be an option, so quick and easy tricks with settings and shooting JPG is often more convenient. I have got a job like that coming up in the new year, where I have about a 2 hour turnaround, including the shoot, before the images go to print.

So far I have a User mode for a bright transparency film (1) look which seems good for product shots and studio work, and a general purpose 'grainy B&W' (2), but which still needs some work. Inspired by this work link I'm working on a pale colour and flat tone effect today (3).


(1) Reversal Film, ISO 100, Highlight Correction-on, shadow correction-high, sharpness +2

(2) B&W, ISO 1600, Filter Effect-to suit subject, Toning-neutral, H/L Key Adjust +2, Contrast-maximum, Sharpnes +1

(3) Muted, ISO 400, Highlight Correction-?, shadow correction-?, Saturation-minimum, Hue -1, H/L Key Adjust-maximum, Contrast-minimum, Sharpness-minimum

I am not one to emulate film but 'Topaz adjust 5' does so quiet easily. I have not researched it in any great detail so can't say much with any great certainty but there certainly are different settings for you to try.
Regards and season's greetings

Interesting! Will have to give that a try!

I have a Panasonic LX3, and it has up to three user modes. You set the camera to what you want, then memorize the settings in one of the three options. Makes it very easy to select a custom setting.

My K5 has only one user setting, (I think? never tried it).

I guess I prefer to shoot RAW. I then use post processing software to achieve the effects I want. (And recover to a more normal image later if I need to... ) As a result I have not experimented with the in camera filters to see what can be done..

Dick

Edit: Oh my! There are five user settings in the K5. Time to go back and program them!!!

Wow, not seen the Topaz software before, I'll have to give the trial a go and see how it goes, thankyou NaimKhan.

The ability to save 5 User modes was a big selling point when I chose the K-5 riebleu. Like you I also have a Panasonic P&S (the TZ-19) which has 3. On that camera I have one set for shutter priority at 3:2 aspect, AWB, Auto ISO. Another reserved for B&W grainy film, 1:1 aspect, and the third for High Speed Burst, 4:3 aspect. A nice little bit of brilliance from Panasonic for chucking so much into these cameras.

On the K-5, that first one of mine, with the reversal film with highlight and shadow correction up high gives an incredibly clean bright result, and needs very little PP. Try it if you get a chance. I found it works best under studio lighting, or under normal indoor lighting inside with Tungsten WB.

Tiffen do some excellent software which includes film effects.

http://www.tiffensoftware.com/filters

About £115 on Amazon for v2 link

Thanks Agernon, not used these ones and they do look to be a very impressive set from the examples on the website. I like that they are subtle but powerful, in that the set include filters that are really useful rather than immediately eye catching, so appear to be of more long term value. Bit of a bargain price too. Thanks

The Tiffen v3 supports 113 different film stocks...... Is that enough!

Review here: link

Its superb at that price, and includes loads of cinematic colour effects. I'm really grateful for the link and the review. As the other half as yet to do any Xmas shopping, I should tell her it's on my wishlist.

The one on Amazon is actually v2... you need to do some detective
work and see how much v3 is

Upgrades aren't very expensive.

I've only got v1 but that's quite impressive